Seagate SSDs delayed

If you've been hoping to get your hands on a Seagate SSD, you'll have a bit longer to wait amid rumours of further delays.

Despite then-CEO Bill Watkins' opinion on the feasibility of solid-state storage technology, it's no surprise that Seagate – as one of the largest manufacturers of storage products in the world – has been looking to enter the growing market itself. What may come as a surprise, however, is that it could well be 2010 – or later – before the company gets a foot in the door.

The timescale comes as a result of comments from Pacific Crest Securities' Kevin Vassily, with the investment banker being quoted by The Register as saying in a briefing note regarding rival STEC that “we [have] heard that Seagate had another setback in its efforts to design an enterprise storage [solid state] drive to compete with [STEC's] ZeusIOPS.”

Vassily goes on to blame partner company LSI, with Seagate being forced to “turn to a start-up company to find a potential solution” to an issue LSI has been unable to resolve. Whatever the problem may be, Vassily believes it will be “mid-2011 [at] the earliest that any competing product [from Seagate] will be likely to ship in any volume.”

The delay – if indeed there is one – could cost the company dearly: it remains the only one of the major mechanical hard drive manufacturers that has not leant at least its name to a range of solid-state storage options. With no Seagate SSD available, loyal customers looking to implement flash storage in the enterprise are being left with no alternative but to look elsewhere – and possibly take their mechanical drive requirements with them.

Is Seagate letting the SSD market pass it by – even with the absence of SSD critic Watkins – or are you pleased that the company appears to be taking its time rather than releasing a “me too” product? Share your thoughts over in the forums.

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